Errol Maurice Edwards, 90, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sept. 28, 2021.

He was born at the family home to Jesse L. Edwards and Edith M. (Field) Edwards of New Gloucester, Maine, on Feb. 28, 1931. He passed from this life peacefully, attended by both children and grandchildren.

As a boy, Maurice attended Bear Brook School in New Gloucester and Bridgton schools from grade 7 through high school, graduating from Bridgton High School, Class of 1948. During the years at New Gloucester, several of his cousins, whom he thought of as siblings, were very close friends.

Throughout his life Maurice (as he was known to all) had a strong work ethic. He worked in the woods prior to joining the Marine Corps. He served in the USMC during the Korean War for a total of three years of active service. During his service at Camp Pendleton, he was once awarded the distinction of “Marine of the Week” for his superior rifle marksmanship. By the time of his discharge from the Marines, he had risen to the rank of Sergeant. It was during his early married life, while a Marine at Camp Pendleton that he and Joyce began their journey of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Maurice married Joyce Elaine Rose on Sept. 2, 1950, in Naples and became the father of six children. Those six children survive him: Gail R. Hastings of Naples, David J. Edwards and his wife Francine of Naples, Bruce C. Edwards and his wife Margaret of Saco, Rodney D. Edwards and his wife Luann of Buxton, Charles E. Edwards of northwest Arkansas and Jessie L. Lowe and her husband (Pastor) Mark of Hampton Beach, N.H.

After his military service Maurice was, for three years, a Fuller Brush Man. During that time, he moved the family to Westbrook, where they lived until the spring of 1970. After his years as a salesman, he went to work for Stultz Electric Works as a motor repairman for fifteen years. Following his employment at Stultz Electric Works, he worked as a framing carpenter and on Union Wharf in Portland for Best Packed Seafood. While living in Westbrook, Maurice and the family attended the Brethren Assembly at Spring Hill Gospel Hall. During the 60s and 70s, he served as a lay minister and pastor at the Gorham Bible Class of Buck Street in Gorham and at Oak Hill Chapel in Standish. His last long-term employment was at Sebago Moc of Bridgton.

For his remaining years following retirement, he worked in his gardens and elsewhere on the property, at Edwards Lane in Naples, often from dawn to dusk and sometimes longer. He also enjoyed traveling through eastern Canada and the U.K. He continued in some form of ministry and Bible study leadership until his very last days, and particularly enjoyed the men’s lunchtime Bible study and prayer meeting at Alliance Church in South Casco on Thursdays.

For most of the recent thirty years, he regularly attended and fellowshipped at Cornerstone Gospel Church of Naples. For more than twenty years he recorded expository Bible teachings on tape and CD, aired by Lake Region TV. Following the death of his wife Joyce, he enjoyed spending time and traveling with his BHS schoolmate, Carleen Nelson of Clinton, Maine. For several years they spoke with each other on the phone on an almost-daily basis.

Maurice is predeceased by both his parents, his older brother Carlton and a son-in-law, David Hastings. He, just prior to his passing, was one of two surviving cousins of his many Edwards and Field family cousins. Of those many cousins he is survived only by Beulah (Edwards) Strout of San Diego, California. He was also predeceased by many very dear friends.

Maurice is also survived by grandchildren Rebekah Athern, of Bridgton, Nathan Edwards of Bloomfield, Pa., Aaron Edwards of Lewiston, Brandon Edwards of Saco, Jesse Edwards of Old Orchard Beach, Paige and Pamela Edwards of Arkansas, Jared Lowe of Manchester, N.H., Hannah Lowe of Portland, Lydia Fierra of Worcester, Mass., and Charis and Zoe Lowe of Morgantown, W.V. He is also survived by nine great-grandchildren.

A memorial service celebrating Maurice’s life and faith will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021 at the Cornerstone Gospel Church, 25 Sebago Road in Naples.